Blog Coincides with Jul's Progkast Podcast - Underground Prog Rock from around the world. Here, I review the albums and artists from the Podcast, artist Q&A, lyrics and translations of songs from the Podcast, as well as list concert dates and post new releases from these Independent artists (own "label" releases and small independent label releases). To listen to Progkast see links on right. Also available free on itunes for listening, download and auto RSS feed.
Sumeritae - Belleza Anatomia Intro (Intro)(2015 - Argentina) 0.00
1)Disen Gage - Witchtanz (2004 - Moscow, Russia)0.40
2)MOMA - Beyond the Ridge of Time - Suite (2016 - Sweden) 6.30 3)Jason Rubenstein - Three Ounces in a Two Ounce Whiskey(2016 - San Francisco, USA) 22.05
4)Quantafide -Fae Elemental (2015 - UK) 31.56 5) Dee-Zee - C3 (2016 - UK) 38.53 6) Among Asteroids - Asención (2016 - Chile) 42.20
7)Red Sun Cult - Blue Song (2016 - Columbia) 48.49 8) Frontecielo - The Light Now (2016 - Italy) 53.26 9) Wooden Shjips - Ruins (2010 - San Francisco, USA) 1.01.55
10)Grus Paridae - Inheritance of Devotion (2014 - Finland) 1.08.32
Disen Gage - Witchtanz
With screeching, wailing, and growling guitars, this song lives up to it's name. Disen Gage are an Instrumental Prog band from Moscow, not to be confused with the Heavy Metal band, Disengage.
Music of Modern Artists - One man project, his is some of the most amazing stuff. About quantum physics, "Beyond the Ridge of Time" is a modern underground classic... already! Just read what Domenico D'Alessandro writes in Prog Rock Little Place: Beyond the Ridge of Time (The Suite) (Article is incorrect in stating that MOMA is a :"band").
Jason Rubenstein
If you like funky Jazz Fusion... this is it. Some sweet powerfully punctual drums by Tom Hipskind and rolling Bass from Shawn Sommer, Mr. Rubenstein pounds the keys like a jack hammer in a tea shop :D... Why aren't we hearing more of this?! Well, you will, at least on Jul's Progkast!
1) Psychedelic Sun's - Away - (Finland) .38 2 )This Winter Machine - The Man Who Never Was - (England) 6.16 3) Dragon - Ballad (Belgium) - 21.40 4) Dosch - Bodies (U.S.)- 24.25 5) Upsilon Acrux - So Thereby... and Furthermore... thus Henceforth... (U.S.) - 32.30 6) Elegia - I'll Be Here - (Sweden) - 36.13 7) Marc Ceccotti - As if the Sea Nymphs Quired - (France) - 42.04 8) Heat - The Golden Age - (Germany) - 48.23 9) Grus Paridae - Passes By (Finland) - 57.15 10) Skyjelly - The Six is Silent (U.S.) - 1.03.10
This Winter Machine - Based in Yorkshire, England, TWM hands us some tasty Neo-Prog with thoughtful lyrics, smooth vocals, and enough instrumental segments to feed the classic Proggers as well. TWM is working on their debut album. Meanwhile, they are teasing their fans with single releases. Check out their latest release http://thiswintermachine.com/store
Elegia - Suffering years of domestic abuse, at 13 years of age, Elegia's songwriter/vocalist/guitarist, Matthias had contemplated suicide. But music would prove to be his salvation.He went on to study music and worked as a professional musician for awhile, but then quit music entirely. A decade later, he is back with Elegia and their debut album, "Anamnesis". He reveals himself in his goth metal songs, with emotional and personal lyrics
Elegia was formed in 2012. "Elegia" being latin for "Elegy" - a sad or reflective poem. Their sound is best described as symphonic prog goth metal.
Most songs are sung foremost by Karin Härefelt. As fate would have it, Karin studied scenical and classical singing at a University inHärnösand - the same town that Matthias grew up in.
Rounding out the band are Johan Gustavsson on guitar, Eric Skjuttorp on drums, and Eric's twin brother, Lars Skjuttorp on Bass. The Orchestra was composed by the band's former drummer, Jesse Lindskog, and some piano parts were performed by Robin Mattsson.
Elegia's debut album, Anamnesis, was released online June 24, 2016. They physical CD became available as of August 15.
Elegia's "Anamnesis" takes me back to the band Renaissance and the Angelic Powerful time bending Progressive Rock vocals of Annie Haslam. And yet, Karin Härefelt's voice seems to have a deeper stronger root to it, like Ann Wilson of Heart, or Karen Lawrence of the band 1994. This is some powerful singing in a musical world that has left the typical female rock vocalist wandering in the mire. Add to that, the driving drums of Eric Skjuttorp, rocking guitars of Johan Gustavsson and Matthias Nyberg (not to miss the backing vocals of Matthias -he shares lead with Karin on "I'm Sorry" - which blend nicely with Karin's), and the cutting Bass of Lars Skjuttorp.
Overall, this is a rocking album of melodic, goth prog rock. I could just as easily hear Bruce Dickenson singing these songs, so for anyone who thinks that these don't rock because of a female vocalist... oh contrare! This is some great stuff! More info: www.elegia.se www.twitter.com/elegiaofficial www.facebook.com/elegiaofficial
Marc Ceccotti - Playing everything himself, Marc takes off in various directions with his instrumental music. "Dogsled Race" from "Back on the Tundra" album -
Heat - From Berlin, Germany, the Heat have the look and feel of 1970's Album Oriented Rock. Founded in 2010, their last album, their second, "Labyrinth", was released in 2014. They are actively gigging ---Live Dates
Live at Stoned from the Underground Festival, Erfurt-Stotternheim, Germany.
Grus Paridae - Is two artists, Petteri Kurki and Rami Turtiainen with special guest Jarno Koivunen on violins. They released a two song EP in 2014. This is some really good Neo-Prog with Classical overtones,... this isn't the first Finnish band I've played.... seems to be quite a bit of Prog eminating from Finland :D
Thanks go to Dragon, Upsilon Acrux, Skyjelly, Summeritae and Dosch - available through Creative Commons licenses. Thank you to all other bands for permission to include their songs on Jul's Progkast.
Aura Blaze is the solo project of Rhode Rachel. Rhode does all vocals, instruments and production. Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Amazon
Lyrics to "The Velveteen Valleys"
Her placid surface young day glimmers upon
I pull around my ship her sea
I yearn to glide deeply through those waters fair
To pull ashore forbidden lands
Where spiders crawl and weave free up mountaintops
And monkeys swing through sunlit vines
Realign the landscape to flow with the waves
Ride the current celestial
Tonight...
Scatter pollen on her innocent blossom
Traverse the velveteen valleys
Golden idol pilfered from twilight temple
Enveloped in amber: a key
To unlock fast her beautiful reflection
Manifest in reality
Aquamarine daydream spotlights shining up
Ancient storm flooding the delta
The first of a handful of solo artists. MOMA is one person from Stockholm, Sweden. The way he describes himself - "A gigantic collective with one and one member alone, in a vast sea of musical instruments and gear." - MOMA (Soundcloud.com)
This reminds me of Gentle Giant,... only better :)
Psychedelic Sun's
Just as with Rhode Rachel, and (Louis) Dosch in last month's podcast, Psychedelic Sun's is one person playing all instruments, and several on the Synth. With "Simplicity" getting awfully near Pink Floyd's "Echoes", veers away and into a funky guitar wah wah (which reminds me of Chicago's "Fancy Colors") and leaves us wanting more. Some good psych/Prog stuff from "Psych Sun's" :)
Duo from France. Their music is Prog, yet Metal, yet Jazz Fusion. A little bit of everything, they are Gregory Hoepffner and Axel Dallou. Find them on: Bandcamp, Free Music Archive (FMA),
Lobate Scarp
Lobate scarp are heading a kickstarter campaign to pay for the production and release of their new album "You Have It All". This is their second album and second with Rich Mouser producing (Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, Neal Morse).
Kickstarter.
When anyone becomes a Kickstarter backer for this, their second album, they
will get a free download of "Beautiful Light" in either MP3 or WAV format.
Described as a Progressive/Space/Opera Rock band, Lobate Scarp are from L.A., California. Their influences range from Classic PRog Rock such as Genesis and Yes, to 80's Pop and New wave as well as strong ties to musical theater. You can hear this strong influence in their new release, "Beautiful Light". Their first album, "Time and Space", which includes Jacob's Ladder, was also funded through kickstarter. Lobate Scarp Kickstarter campaign
Hedfuzzy
Hedfuzy is the project of Pat Byrne of Ireland. For this particular album he has enlisted some help from drummer Ben Wanders, keyboardist Graham Conway, guitarist Graham Keane and guitarists Mike Moriarty and Cameron Allen, to flesh out the album.
He has played with several groups such as Celtic Fusion, Kraven, and Jeffonesta. More recently, he shared Bass duties with Chuck Rainey and Divinity Roxx on Delorean Suite's 2012 release "Two Lives"
Blending modern lyric (what I call music that is strongly based on vocal content), Prog with a bit of classic instrumentally strong Prog, Hedfuzy is a strong front runner of indie neo-prog. The drum pattern in this one (How to Tear Your World From My Head) is pretty funky. :) Soundcloud, Amazon
Banaan
Some funky fusion electronic synth prog from Oslo Norway. Their motto is : "Some artists think outside the box, others, like us, believe there is no box". ;)
1) Melody Fields - Morning Sun - :35(2016) 2) Dosch - Village of the Idiots - 6:30(2002) 3) Spampipe - Mameking - 12:40(2016?) 4) Dixie Cannon - Close to the Sun - 16:32(2016?) 5) Dyr Faser - His Dreams Are Connected - 20:25(2016) 6) West of the Sun - Fountains of Fire - 25:40(2016) 7) At the Head - September Electric - 29:20(2016?) 8) Big Red Panda - Arrival Part II - 33:47(2016) 9) Zoliborz - Roland Garros 2048 - 38:44(2014) 10) Onirica - Self Portrait of Time - 42:11(2016) 11) Birds of Avalon - Microinfinity (Live at WFMU)- 50:26(2011)
Band Spotlight
Melody Fields - This is a band I just happened by on Facebook. All I can say is.. more, more, more!! Looking forward to what comes next for this band from Gothenburg, Sweden. Featuring Thomas Widholm, Ramo Spatalovic, David Henriksson, Jonnie Tall, and Henrik Backstrom, Melody Fields starts off "Morning Sun" with a throw back to the Byrds' 12 string "ringing" guitar sound. They follow up with pleasant harmonies and in this catchy tune interlaced with short catchy guitar riffs. This is definitely one of my faves. Can't wait for more!
Dosch (aka Louis Dosch) - Another artist I found on Facebook, Louis Dosch recorded "Village of the Idiots" in 2002 playing all the parts himself. He has been in many bands in the Orange County, CA area through the years including the heavy metal band, Maiden, Progressive bands, Eden, Magic, and Hex, as well as a few others.
My apologies to Mr. Dosch for misspeaking of Mixcloud as a place to find his music, it is actually Soundclick - Dosch on Soundclick
Louis Dosch (keyboards) with the band Eden (also featuring Kris Kellog, Terry Adamo, BJ Edinger, and Mitchell James) in the early 80's.
At the Head - Found on Soundcloud, this band from Moscow consists of Arseny Gorodov (drums), Arseny Davydenko (lead guitar), and Ivan Utkin (keys, bass guitar). "September Electric" is one of those songs that really grows on you with time. I've said that anyone who listens to one of my Podcasts,... once will like a song or two... listen again and you will like some more... listen a third time and songs you heard before and just though "eh... ok" start churning round and round in your head and soon become one of your favorites. It is sort of the nature of Prog music. Hope to hear more in the future.
Big Red Panda - These guys have become one of my favorite modern Prog/Psych bands (well, every artist I play are one of my favorites! ;). This release, "Arrival Part II" once the vocals begin, quickly reminds me of one of my all time favorite Prog bands, Armageddon. With smooth and pleasant vocals of Keith Relf, Armageddon blazed one of Prog Rock's most iconic anthems in "Silver Tightrope". Like Keith Relf, Pedro Ferreira's voice just floats along with the music. Yes, there's some Psych effects there, but it's got that same quality sound. With catchy riffs, swirling drums and synth, this band from Portugal has a bright future in Prog Rock.
Fancisco Dantas - Drums Gonçalo Palmas - Synth Hugo Quintela - Guitar Kevin Pires - Guitar Nuno Silva - Bass Pedro Ferreira - Vocals/Guitar
Big Red Panda can be found on Facebook, youtube, soundcloud, and on Bandcamp
And.... just for fun, here is "Paths and Planes and Future Gains" from Armageddon.
Onirica - Another artist I found on Facebook, Onirica are Massimo Santi and Nicola Rigato. On "Self Portrait of Time" Massimo and Nicola get help from Davide Rigato on Violin.
From their youtube video they describe the song as such:
"'Self-Portrait Of Time' is an attempt to grasp the essence of our inner
thoughts, in a world where speed alienates us from ourselves. With
millions of outside stimulations, we go through life losing focus and
centre. We like to think of it as a dive into the maze that our brain
is, and emerge with the core of our dreams, made of scrap, as depicted
in the structure of our sculptor friend: the Onirica."
Pretty cool. I really like all the changes in this song. That, to me, is one of Prog's greatest graces.
Special thanks to Melody Fields, Louis Dosch, Spampipe, Dixie Cannon, West of the Sun, At the Head, Big Red Panda, and Onirica for special permission to play their songs on Progkast. Also thanks to WFMU and the FMA for Dyr Faser, Zoliborz and Birds of Avalon music.
Eidetic Seeing - Variations on a reinterpretation of Lord Siva
Sinapsi - Vertigo
Dixie Cannon- Who You Are
Silence Industry - With Arms
Secret Jane - Nettlevest
Dragon - Lucifer
Fanny Kaplan - Son I Pustota
Mankultur - Vandpunkter
I decided to go ahead and shamelessly peddle for sponsors. The longer this podcast goes on, the higher the costs that I will be incurring. Not sure that I can carry this on for more than a year. It has certainly been fun. I have discovered bands that I will continue to follow and endorse. Right now it costs $7/mo to keep it going. Two months from now, I can either start deleting older podcasts (which, although a lower production quality, the music is superb) which I really don't want to do, or pay up a notch to $15/mo, just for the shear joy of turning others onto some really good music. Although I really enjoy doing that (really, I get a natural high like any artist spreading their art and other's art), I cannot afford to keep doing so. Anyway, so, please don't be put off by my 2 min promotional peddling pander or this paragraph of the same, lol. I'll continue at least till Feb of 2017, the one year anniversary of this Podcast....
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
West of the Sun
Hailing from London, UK, West of the Sun is riding on the wave of current Neo-Psychedelic Rock bands. Luke Ward, Joe Stratton, Michael Howes, Kieran Callinan & Stevie Durkin give us some mesmerizing and nostalgic and upbeat, yet original music. "Siberian Hysteria" is their new single, with the promise of an upcoming LP later this year.
His April 2016 release, "I Catch the Wind" is reminiscent of early to mid 70's Psych, Folk, and album oriented rock. With a tinge of The Beatles' sound and a tinge of 10cc, "Who You Are" and "Close to the Sun" hone in with the current wave of Neo - Psychedelic Rock, while the instrumental "Starlight Theme" mixes country guitar styles in a contemplative mellow strolling Blues riff. His vocals are spot on and pleasant to the ear. Easily some of the best vocals ever played on this podcast. At times I just want to listen to his music out of pure appreciation of the smoothness and accuracy of his voice. The feel of this album is that of listenable and enjoyable overall mainstream Rock that delves into a few related sub-genres. Here is some older music with the Band "Cannonballs"
Mankultur is Eric Dantanus from Sweden. Giving us some Electronic Psych Prog with heavy beats and funky rhythms... really looking forward to more music from this artist.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks go out to West of the Sun, Amadiro, Dixie Cannon, and Mankultur for special permission to play their music. Thank you also to FMA and all other artists for providing CC music which has been used in this podcast. (Thank you to Sumeritae for the perfect song for an intro ;) )
Sumeritae- Intro (Belleza Anatomia) 1) River Cult - Temps Perdu (2016) 2) Holy Wave - Wendy Go Round (2016) 3 )Tigerberry and Skaen - The Only (2016) 4) Disen Gage - Arabia - (2004) 5) Room for a Ghost - No.02 (2010) 6) Wooden Shjips - These Shadows (2013) 7) Robin Allender - The Sattler Monument (2016) 8) Sendelica - Standing on the Edge (2010)
BAND SPOTLIGHT
HOLY WAVE A bit psychedelic, a bit shoegaze, Holy Wave have really come into their own this year with their new release, "Freaks of Nuture". If you didn't know that this music was brand new, you would swear that it was recorded in the 70's. Instantly one of my favorite new psychedelic bands. Upcoming Tour Dates - JUNE WEST COAST TOUR ANNOUNCED!
6/10 San Antonio @ Limelight 6/12 El Paso @ Warzawa 6/14 Phoenix @ Valley Bar w/ Adult Books 6/15 Costa Mesa @ Wayfarer 6/16 San Francisco @ Thee Parkside w/ Cool Ghouls 6/17 Legget CA @ Hickey Fest 6/18 Vancouver BC @ Levitation Vancouver- Rickshaw Theatre 6/19 Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar 6/20 Seatlle @ Sunset Tavern 6/22 Los Angeles @ The Echo w/ Part Time 6/24 San Diego @ The Hideout 6/27 Pomona CA @ Acerogami Lounge 6/28 Tucson AZ @ Hotel Congress Thanks to Holy Wave for allowing me to play "Wendy Go Round" on Progkast.
DISEN GAGE
Disen Gage, initially a quartet consisting of guitarist Konstantin Mochalov, guitarist Yuri Alaverdyan, and bassist Nikolai Syrtsevwere along with drummer Evgeny Kudryashov, started playing music together whilst they were in college. Later Sergei Bagin was added on as guitarist when Alaverdyan left to further his studies. Described as old school Progressive rock with the rough drive of garage-rock.
SENDELICA
Members:
Pete Bingham- Guitar/ Electronics
Glenda Pescado - Bass
Colin Consterdine - Programing/ Electronics
Lee Relfe - Saxamaphones
Meurig Griffiths - Drums
Lord Armstrong sealand - Theremin.
Hometown: Cardigan, Wales
10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR PART ONE:-FRI 29TH MAY - Cosmic Puffin - Mersea Isalnd, UK SAT 30TH APRIL- Cellar Bar - Cardigan, UK SAT 14TH MAY - Res-Strung Harp - Folkestone, UK WEDS 18TH MAY - Immerhin, Wurzburg, Germany THURS 19TH MAY - Circus Maximus, Koblenz, Germany FRI 20TH MAY - Secret Gig - Udine, Italy SAT 21ST MAY - Rock Festival at Priamar Fortress - Savonia Italy SUN 22ND MAY - Centrale Rock - Erba, Italy TUE 24TH MAY - Atraquando - Zero Branco, Italy WEDS 25TH MAY - Arci Tazibao - Tortona, Italy THURS 26TH MAY - Cafe Liber - Turino, Italy SUN 29TH MAY - Games for May Festival - Half Moon, Putney, London, UK SAT 4TH JUNE - Tipi in Cardigan, UK
Thanks again to Holy Wave for permission for the usage of "Wendy Go Round" on Progkast (aka Jul's Progkast Podcast), and thanks to all other bands for CC license to use their music as well as the Free Music Archive and WFMU.
Sumeritae - Intro
Nafta - Mesec (2008)
Lista de Lily - On the Radio (2015)
Sumeritae - Virrey Trefusis (2015)
Amadiro - Land of Glory (2014)
Dyr Faser - Koso Biru (2015)
Melange - Conan (2016)
Mascaras - Burgers Balrog (2015)
BAND SPOTLIGHT
Nafta
Nafta is a punkish metal band from Serbia comprised of - Bane S. Vukosavljević - vocal, guitars Dragan Vidaković - Risto - bass guitar Aleksa Otašević - drums I really enjoy this music. It rocks and yet it is quite intricate in arrangement. Just a simple little guitar riff here and a little twang there - these guys know what makes a rock song and what makes the music "sing" to you. These guys are veterans and they know what they are doing. Some solid Rock and Roll here. I include this on a Progressive Rock Podcast because I feel the musicianship and solos/bridges are complex enough that they merit a Punk/Metal/Prog designation. Quality swag. Nafta facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NAFTA-102339031736/ and bandcamp page https://nafta.bandcamp.com/
Amadiro
This is a band that I found on Patreon - patreon.com/amadiro. If you go to their patreon page you can see some of their videos of their Who and Pink Floyd covers. I, personally, think that they are very talented, their vocalists are amazing and their original music is true blue Prog. I hope that these guys n gal continue to release originals, and perhaps tour the "states" sometime. Here's their cover of Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". Visit their patreon page and become a patron! (I might add that their videos are very well produced as well...). Thanks to Amadiro for allowing me to play their music on Progkast.
Dyr Faser
I am getting to like this guy the more I listen to his music. Eric Boomhower gets help from Thalia Zedek on guitar on the track "Koso Biru". Sure it's a guy with a keyboard. Sure they aren't real drums. I feel that programmed drums have their place - and this is it. As a drummer, I wouldn't want to play a repetitive beat like this... I am not a metronome, I am a musician. One who keeps the beat... but also one who colors it. So to the acoustic drum purists... "faux" beats have a function and I cannot think of a better platform. The music is mesmerizing, invigorating, melodic, and, after a few listens, spinning around and around in my head. At first I was wary of playing something that may be construed as "Techno Pop" but this was so good and had many Prog elements to it, therefore for my own personal purposes, it is now labeled "Progressive Techno Rock". Modern Prog, if you will. And when all else fails, I compare the music to Pink Floyd.... "Would the Floyd do this?" Why yes, yes, they would... albeit with real drums (wink). From the album of the same title on Vulpiano Records.
Mascaras
These guys just plain rock. Prog has made a turn in the past 10 or more years and there are many Metal Prog bands. Mascaras is like Garage Punk Prog. Again, these guys too, the more I hear them, the more I like. Classic Prog stalwarts may not like the newer Metal sound... I'm a Classic listener and I welcome the new sub-genres all. I also like to keep people awake... this was sort of the wake up song (wink).
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Thanks again to Lista De Lily and also Amadiro, for allowing me to play their music. All other music was culled from freemusicarchive.org thanks to WFMU at FMU.
